The parsha begins with the famous episode of Pharaoh’s dream. There is a vision of seven robust and beautiful cows that emerge from the river, followed by seven ugly and skeletal cows. The ugly and skeletal cows proceed to consume the robust and beautiful cows, whereupon Pharaoh awakens from the dream. He then falls back asleep and has a second dream, seeing seven healthy ears of grain sprouting forth from the ground, followed by seven thin and scorched ears of grain. In a similar pattern, the seven skinny and scorched ears proceed to consume the seven healthy ears. The pasuk then says something quite interesting that I never stopped before to think about:
ויהי בבקר ותפעם רוחו וישלח ויקרא את כל חרטמי מצרים ואת כל חכמיה ויספר פרעה להם את חלמו ואין פותר אותם לפרעה. (מא,ח)
“And it was in the morning: His spirit was agitated, so he went and summoned all the necromancers of Egypt and all its wise men; Pharoah related his dream to them, but none could interpret them for Pharaoh.”
We all have dreams. Some more memorable than others. What in the world was so concerning about this dream that Pharaoh awoke after the first dream? What could have gotten him so agitated after the second dream that had him call in all of his advisors and magicians to help him understand the dream? Why was he so concerned?
Rav Shimon Schwab suggests that as a powerful ruler, Pharaoh was used to seeing the strong defeat the weak, and the many defeat the few. Being the ruler of a powerful and strong country, he had been sitting confident. When he suddenly saw a vision of the weak eating the strong and then the same vision came a second time, he was scared that perhaps this was a message that his throne was in danger of being overtaken. This is why he called in his magicians and advisors; to share both his concern and his need for being sure he was understanding the message correctly.
It is therefore not a coincidence that parshat Miketz always falls out on Chanukah, as a hint to infer that the weak can in fact defeat the strong. This juxtaposition reinforces that Pharaoh’s concern was real and well founded. It appears that Hashem used this vision to “wake” up Pharaoh to confirm his interpretation. What is interesting is that this was not the ultimate message Hashem intended for Pharaoh to walk away with.
The above explains why Pharaoh was concerned. But how are we to understand the end of the pasuk? Despite repeated attempts by his magicians, Pharaoh was not convinced any of them had interpreted the dream properly. Why didn’t he like their interpretations? Furthermore, a young Jewish child is taken out of prison. He interprets the dream and immediately Pharaoh and his officers agree he got it right. What is going on here? Why did they like his interpretation better?
One could argue the Egyptian magicians suggested interpretations like the one where Pharaoh would have seven sons, and then they would die, and other such suggestions that would affect Pharaoh personally (see Rashi). Yosef’s interpretation stood out because his dream was big; it wasn’t about Pharaoh as a person, but rather it was about Pharaoh as a leader. It was about his country; that there would be seven great agricultural years, followed by seven years of famine. Yosef explained that Hashem was warning Pharaoh to save his people by saving up food during the years of plenty. Pharaoh was a wise leader; he understood this interpretation had to be correct; that Hashem was speaking to him as a leader.
The message for us? We have to see life beyond ourselves as individuals. For those of us who are married, we have to see the world as “we.” For those of us who have children, we have to see the world as “we.” All of us have a place in the community, and as the saying goes, “we rise by lifting others.” We, the collective we, should always seek ways in which to help another; to be a source of guidance and support. Apropos at this time of the year: The shamash is the candle that lights the others. Be a shamash.
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